


Start Swinging

by nultayy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Getting Together, Kissing, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:20:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24999736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nultayy/pseuds/nultayy
Summary: Tsukishima has a crush on Hinata, and if it weren't the worst thing that had literally ever happened to him ever, it would actually be quite nice.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Tsukishima Kei
Comments: 22
Kudos: 190





	Start Swinging

It took Tsukishima all of two days to reach the conclusion that the feelings he felt for the ginger freak as he flew around the gym like a demented parakeet were something repulsively similar to attraction. It wasn't the same way he liked Yamaguchi and tolerated the rest of the members of their new volleyball team - save Kageyama - because, as he noted with revulsion, for once in his life, some small, irrational, stupid part of Tsukishima sort-of cared if he was liked back.

The unfamiliar emotions disgusted him.

He blamed Hinata.

"Tsukishima, pass me the ball by your foot!" Hinata jogged in place, cheeks pink from the exertion of jumping half a hundred times.

"Get it yourself," Tsukishima all but snarled before launching it at his stupid face, trying to drown out the beating of his heart with a glare.

Hinata caught it before it could make contact with his nose and stuck his tongue out, then grinned and hopped off towards Kageyama. Tsukishima prayed the blood flushing his neck and cheeks could be excused by having bent double to reach for the ball.

Beside him, the captain sighed, rolling his shoulders. "I hope you guys start getting along a bit better before our first match. It does nothing for the team if there's animosity between the players."

As far as Tsukishima was concerned, they were getting along just fine.

"So, Hinata," Tanaka said as he tore off a piece of his meat bun, eyes glinting mischievously, "you got a crush on anyone?"

Hinata looked like he was seriously considering the question, face scrunched up in thought, rocking back and forth on his heels in front of Ukai's shop at the foot of the hill. "No," was his his definitive answer. "What about you, Kageyama?"

"I barely know anyone in my class, and I don't have the time to think about them."

Hinata grinned before turning to Tsukishima. "What about you, Tsukishima? Anyone melting that ice-cold heart of yours?"

"The only crush I'm thinking of is how I'm going to crush your wind pipe if you even think about asking such a ridiculous question again," Tsukishima shot back, putting his headphones on to hide the pink teasing the tips of his ears. He pointedly ignored Sugawara hiding his smile in a to-go cup of coffee.

He grabbed Yamaguchi and walked off before Hinata could realise that he hadn't really answered the question.

"So you, like, never cook at home?" Yamaguchi sounded incredulous as he propped himself up on his elbows near where Tsukishima lay on his futon. "That's the only fun chore! What do you do?"

"Cleaning and gardening and babysitting and stuff," Hinata said, flopping down on Yamaguchi's other side. The first day at the training camp had been strenuous, but despite the raw bruises on his forearms and the peeling skin on his palms his giant eyes twinkled with excitement and he could barely keep his knees from bouncing. "My mom and my sister avoid my cooking like the plague because I put chili powder in everything I make."

Across the room, Asahi wrinkled his nose. "Chili powder?"

Hinata smiled, and Tsukishima hated how he felt that it lit up the dark room. "Yeah. It always comes out really hot, but that's how I like my food."

"Does it make your insides go all ' _gwahh_ '?" Nishinoya sounded genuinely interested, if not at least a tad amused. Hinata's loose curls bounced with the intensity of his nod, accompanied by an enthusiastic 'm-hm!'

"That's probably why your hair is so orange," Tsukishima mumbled before he could stop himself, ignoring his own insides going all ' _gwahh_ '. The team erupted into peals of laughter, led by Hinata himself, and Tsukishima threw an arm over his eyes to protect them from how blinding it was. He should have brought along his prescription sunglasses.

"That's probably it." Tsukishima could hear the smile through Hinata's words and turned over onto his side, away from the glaring light.

As he drifted off to sleep, he briefly wondered if Hinata's hair smelled of hot peppers.

He didn't really know why he said it. He just knew that it was maybe a bit too far and the frown knitting Hinata's eyebrows together wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

"With all due respect, Tsukishima," he said quietly, "fuck off." And he stalked away to the other side of the net, glowering at him.

Tsukishima was off his game for the rest of the evening.

Three days and six practices later, the foul tension still hadn't lifted between them. It wasn't until Tsukishima failed to block his fourth ball in a row that Ukai yelled, "alright, everyone take a break. Tsukishima, get over here."

Tsukishima jogged over to where Ukai was standing, Takeda and Kiyoko hovering close by. Ukai rubbed his forehead then crossed his arms, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

"You are not playing like I know you can, Tsukishima," he said finally, exasperated.

"Sorry."

"Don't 'sorry' me," Ukai snapped, straining to keep himself from rolling his eyes. "Sort out whatever is going on between you and the shrimp. We've got a practice match against Seijoh on the weekend, and God help me if we lose because my middle blockers are sulking and refusing to communicate. I hold the power to suspend from the team for any amount of time I deem necessary, and if you two aren't back to normal by tomorrow then I will happily exercise that right." With that, he walked away, clapping his hands and calling to the other team members.

Tsukishima stared at the ground, tracing the lines in the polished wood. His glasses were fogging up from the heat and sweat. A hand tentatively touched his arm.

"Tsukishima-kun," Takeda said gently, "Coach Ukai may have spoken in terms of volleyball, but he is actually worried about you. We both are. If all it takes to get out of this," he waved aimlessly with his hand, "rut you are in is a conversation with a teammate, I think you wouldn't lose anything by doing that."

Tsukishima nodded to show he understood. He didn't.

But he still stuck a hand out to catch Hinata's shoulder as they were leaving to get changed. "Wait, shrimp. I need to talk to you."

Tsukishima didn't meet his eyes. He barely looked at his face. The only way he knew that Hinata was even open to talking was that he didn't resist when Tsukishima clamped his hand down and steered him over to the privacy of the corner of the gym.

He felt like fiddling with the bottom of his shirt. He never felt like fiddling with anything. He dully noted that he was nervous. He didn't like it.

"What did you want to talk about?" Hinata sounded genuinely puzzled and a little bit afraid.

Tsukishima finally looked at him. It wasn't so much looking up as slightly tilting his head back. Hinata's face matched his voice.

He cleared his throat. "Ukai said neither of us are playing very well because we aren't talking."

"... okay?"

"And he said we have to start talking to each other before tomorrow or he'll kick us off the team."

"I don't have a problem with that."

Tsukishima pressed on before he could stop himself. "And, to be honest, I'd prefer not to be suspended from playing, so if this is still about what I said on Tuesday, then I'm sorry, and -" he paused, frowning. "Wait, did you just say you're fine with that?"

Hinata looked even more confused. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Tsukishima balked. "Because you got all pissy and stomped off and haven't talked to me for three days."

Hinata blinked. "No, _you_ got all pissy and haven't talked to me in three days. I was avoiding you because I thought you would pummel me for telling you to fuck off. I wasn't actually that bothered by what you said."

Tsukishima frowned again. "So... we were already good?"

Hinata grinned. "Yeah, we were."

Tsukishima morphed his face into what he hoped was his usual don't-give-a-shit leer, crossing his arms. He straightened his back, staring at the wall, before turning to the exit. He didn't feel like fiddling with his shirt anymore. "I take it back."

"Take what back?"

"The apology. You don't need it."

Hinata gasped, running to his side. "No, no takesies-backsies! Stingy-shima!"

Tsukishima tried to keep the relieved look off his face as they made their way to the club room, Hinata buzzing at his side.

"So," Yamaguchi started tentatively, giving Tsukishima a sly look, "are you guys back in each other's good books?"

Tsukishima rested his chin on his hand, staring out as the trees flitted past on their way to Aoba Johsai. He was so not about to give his friend the time of day with this conversation. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on," Yamaguchi moaned, poking his friend in the shoulder. "You and Hinata have been terrifying the entire team with your kill-each-other atmosphere the entire week, and then suddenly in one day you're back to talking and being fine."

Tsukishima was dead-set on denial. "There was no kill-each-other atmosphere. _You_ have no clue what you're talking about now."

"I had to put up with you moping around for four days straight. I know what I'm talking about."

Tsukishima glared at his face in the window. "Shut up, Yamaguchi."

Yamaguchi giggled. "Sorry, Tsukki."

After a pause, he continued, though his voice was more subdued and serious. "Really, though, I'm glad everything's back to normal."

Tsukishima didn't honour him with a response. The darkness of a tunnel showed him the reflection of Kageyama shoving Hinata after the latter stole a stick of pocky. His hair was ruffled and he was smiling, biting his bottom lip and wiggling the treat in front of the setter's face.

Tsukishima slotted his headphones on and burrowed himself to the chin in the collar of his jacket to avoid having to explain to his surprisingly observant friend why his ears and neck had turned the same colour as their spiker's locks.

They lost. Again.

It took everything out of Kageyama - as well as Daichi restraining him around the midriff - to not run the length of the gym and deck Oikawa in his gloating face. His comments had all the Karasuno players bristling but, at one particularly stinging insult, Hinata jumped from the bench and started to all but sprint across the sweat-covered floor, sputtering his own half-baked comebacks.

Tsukishima didn't even realise he'd done something until his arm shot out and he was restraining the boy, clapping the other hand over his mouth before he could do some real damage. "Shut. Your. Trap," he hissed, leaning down until his mouth was near Hinata's ear. When that did nothing, he hoisted the squirming boy higher up his frame and dragged him out of the gymnasium. Daichi threw him a thankful look.

Something weird and wet and warm tickled the palm of Tsukishima's hand and he snatched it away, disgusted. He slammed Hinata against the wall.

"Did you just lick my fucking hand?"

"No," Hinata huffed, crossing his arms and looking at the ground.

"Yes, you did, and that's disgusting." Tsukishima wiped his hand on the '10' adorning the front of Hinata's jersey. "Yelling at and threatening opposition players? Licking people? What, are you in, elementary school? Finally going back to people your own size?"

Hinata shot him an angry look. He looked like a bird with his feathers ruffled, his face pink and pouting and his hair shooting off in every direction.

_He looks cute_ , Tsukishima noted with horror.

Gathering himself, he breathed in and out once before continuing. "We're going to stay out here until you put on your big-boy pants and we can go line up and graciously _thank_ the other team for letting us into their school to play against them."

Hinata hit his back against the wall like a child throwing a tantrum.

_Cu-ute_ , an incessant part of Tsukishima's brain reminded him.

They stood like that in silence, the low sounds of the team talking carrying through the open gym doors, for about thirty seconds until Hinata dropped his arms to his sides and breathed out sharply, fidgeting against the wall.

"I'm fine now. Can we go back in?"

"Stop looking at me like you're gonna punch my lights out and I'll let you go." Tsukishima pressed his fingers into Hinata's shoulder to make his point.

A mischievous grin spread over Hinata's face, and Tsukishima knew he was about to try to rile him up.

"It tasted gross, you know."

Tsukishima decided to entertain him while they were there. "What tasted gross?"

"Your hand. It was all salty and gross."

Tsukishima sighed and pressed his forehead into the wall above Hinata's hair. It smelled of sweat and shampoo and a little bit of Air Salonpas, but not at all of chili powder.

_Cute_ , his entire brain all but screamed.

With a deep breath, Tsukishima brought his face down to connect his lips with Hinata's in a soft, chaste kiss. He felt the boy still under his hand. A few seconds later, he pulled away and opened his eyes and looked at Hinata. His face was the same colour as his hair, and slightly pink lips had formed into a small 'o'. His big brown eyes were widened to the point that Tsukishima thought they would fall out. All in all, the image was pretty funny, and he would have snorted in amusement if his heart wasn't reaching dangerously tachycardic levels.

Blushing all the way down to his wrists, Tsukishima pulled his face away and turned. "Hope that tasted better," he muttered as he walked back into the gym.

"He'll be back in soon," he said hoarsely to Daichi in response to the curious, questioning look on his face. The captain nodded.

And all Tsukishima's brain could think while they lined up and bowed to the people on the other side of the net was how nice Hinata's lips felt against his.

Hinata was silent and staring at the ground, wide-eyed, all the way through their cool-down stretches and on the walk out of the building.

"Tsukishima," Nishinoya complained as they piled, spent and sweaty, onto the bus, "what did you threaten my Shouyou with? You were supposed to calm him down so he wouldn't catch an assault case, not turn him into a mute."

"I didn't do anything," Tsukishima answered, settling into his seat. He was holding his water bottle in one hand, worrying the tip with his teeth, staring at some distant spot outside the window in the setting sun. He barely noticed the rest of the team filing in to the spaces around, briefly noting a flash of red as it settled on the seat across from him. The bus filled with the light buzz of tired chatter.

Halfway through the trip back, when it had already turned dark, Tsukishima locked eyes with Hinata in the reflection. His face was unnervingly blank.

"Tanaka-senpai," he said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Ask me again."

Tanaka turned to look at him through the gap between his and Nishinoya's seat, confused. "Ask you what?"

Hinata's eyes were glued to Tsukishima's, and Tsukishima found that he couldn't look away. "Ask me again if I've got a crush on anyone."

All conversation instantly fell away into silence.

Tanaka's face positively glowed. "Oh, what's this," he crowed, rising to his knees on his seat, resting his elbows on the headrest, "has someone made my little Shouyou's heart go ' _gwahh_ '?"

Hinata kept his eyes trained on Tsukishima's reflection. "Yeah."

The bus erupted in shrieks, one particularly loud one coming from Ukai about how they were being too loud which they promptly ignored, Nishinoya twisting like he got whiplash to stare at the boy, and if Yamaguchi noticed Tsukishima choke on his water, he wisely didn't mention it. He turned from the window to stare directly into Hinata's eyes.

"A-ta boy, Hinata!"

"Do we know them?"

"Dumbass, if you have time to fall in love you have time to be practising your spikes."

"Are you going to confess?" Asahi asked breathlessly, grinning.

Hinata nodded, still staring at Tsukishima, a light blush dusting his nose. That was, at least, miles better than the tall blond, who would have looked at home in a basket of pomegranates.

Hinata cleared his throat. "Hey, Tsukishima."

Tsukishima balked, shrinking in his seat through his light-headedness. "What do you want, shrimp?" It didn't sound as imposing as he had hoped it would.

"You make my heart go ' _gwahh_ '."

Kageyama choked.

Yamaguchi stifled a giggle in his jacket sleeve.

Tsukishima felt every pair of eyes on the bus whipping around to look at him. He swallowed heavily.

"What... what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Go out with me."

Tsukishima barely registered Sugawara passing money to Kiyoko, a smug grin on both their faces. "U-uh," he faltered, for once at a loss for words.

Hinata blinked, the blush travelling to his ears. "Can I take that as a yes?"

Tsukishima froze for a moment, willing himself not to have a heart attack, before slowly nodding.

The noise that followed drowned out Ukai's roar as he pulled over to the side of the road to yell at them.

**Author's Note:**

> I know Tsukishima may seem a little OOC here, but I'm just not really sure how to write such a perpetual dumbass when he's in love. Hopefully I did a good job :)
> 
> Also for anyone that may ask - Suga coughed up to Kiyoko because their bet was on who was gonna confess first. Kiyoko won the bet, but they're all winners in the end, eh?


End file.
